crossing_lostrp | [Scott] Skipped Time (Day 8): Hello, world! (tag Ami, Ripley, open)

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This takes place shortly after Ami and George finish their conversation in Playing Catch Up. If anyone feels like having a WTF moment, feel free to jump in. Here's a description of the active co-locator from the outside.

As much as Scott had wanted to contact his parents the previous night, he'd known that he was far too tired to try it. He and Ami couldn't keep their eyes open shortly after sunset, so they'd retired early to their shelter. "Four rounds of sex -- most of them island coffee-fueled -- plus working to stay fed will do that to you," Scott had joked. Ami agreed with a deep, lingering kiss. Despite that and full body contact, they'd been too exhausted to do anything other than sleep. Until they'd rested for a few hours, that is. When Scott awoke panting from a rather imaginative dream involving Ami, figs, and guava nectar, he was delighted to discover that their bodies were again able to keep up with their libidos.

After Ami had finished her social rounds for the morning -- something Scott truly couldn't fathom; making conversation so soon after waking up? Ugh. -- she'd suggested going foraging with Ripley as a pretense to try using the co-locator. Scott and Ripley had agreed, which was how he and Ami were now standing at the edge of the rippling, transluscent energy dome under the same root cave they'd used previously. Every few seconds a soft rustling emanated overhead from Ripley changing position at her sentry post.

Although the hemisphere seemed stable, Scott tossed a pebble inside just to be sure. It landed with a soft thunk on the other side -- presumably from the carpeted floor of his parents' apartment. Reassured, Scott squeezed Ami's hand. "No time like the present," he said. He let go of her hand and stepped into the shared space created by the co-locator.

Sunlight backlit the blinds covering the single window in the small room. (Ironic that I'm in two places at once and don't know where either place is.) He felt Ami's worry through their now-attenuated link. /I'm okay,/ Scott reassured her. /I'm in the same room as last time./ He turned to face the closed door, which was hazy since it was on the other side of the energy dome. "Mom! Dad!" Scott shouted. While he waited for a response he asked Ami, /If they're home, do you still want to meet them? You don't have to. Since the co-locator is still working, there should be other opportunities./

Current Mood: optimistic

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Scott arms automatically encircled Ami. When he met her eyes everything else fell away. There was no island weirdness, no temporal and spatial separation from the rest of the world. The world was Ami, and that was enough.

Jenny coughed softly, bringing Scott back to reality. Blushing, he turned to his parents. "Without Ami I would have lost it on day three. Her rolling with the punches keeps me sane. I want to explain everything, and that's just not possible here." He looked down at her fondly. "I guess we keep each other sane. We compliment each other."

Paul was smiling at them knowingly. "What?" Scott asked.

"The bond you share. I've never seen anything like it among humans. I'm curious how it's grown so strong so quick--"

The hemisphere trembled, then shrank a few inches. "Our time is up," Jenny said with forced levity. She smiled genuinely at Scott and Ami. "I'm so glad you found each other." She moved forward, drawing the pair into a hug. "Take care of each other. We'll do what we can here."

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The easy acceptance that Ami felt from Jenny and her hug meant more to Ami than she could possibly put into words. She returned the hug easily, a lump in her throat and whispered, "Thank you."

Jenny would probably think that she was completely nutters, but she had to say the words; maybe someday, when they were rescued and off the island, she could explain.

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Jenny simply smiled in reply, then Paul escorted her out of the slowly shrinking hemisphere. Upon returning he strode over to Ami, laying one hand on her shoulder. The two locked eyes briefly. Although Scott was certain that something was going on, he didn't hear any of Ami's surface thoughts. (Now I know how all of the non-psychics feel,) Scott thought, mildly disgruntled.

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Paul’s hand on her shoulder was startling, but not as unexpected as what came next.

He spoke to her, and she knew that he was speaking to her and her alone. /Ami, the key to getting off of the island is trusting and working with the other survivors./ He quirked a grin, adding /Most of them. You and Scott already know this. However, you believe it. Scott doesn't. He's spent too long being cautious, mistrustful, and aloof because of me. Help him learn how to trust. He'll be stubborn and willful, but will come around eventually. Remind him what I told Jenny years ago: as a species you're at your best with things are at their worst. Homo sapiens and Tomorrow People both./

It took her a moment to process all of Paul’s words, and her earlier conversation with George came back to her. George was right; the ‘bad guys’ knew all their secrets; Paul’s words were just a reiteration to what Ami knew deep down inside: the secret to getting home was pooling their resources, not hiding their secrets from one another. No matter how terrifying the revelation might be or what the repercussions might be once they were off of the island. Convincing Scott was going to take time; it was an uphill battle fighting against his paranoia, but Paul gave her hope that it could be done.

/I know,/ Ami told him, /I’ve thought of that. It’s just getting past the fear./

/You will. You already know that you have to./ Paul smiled gently again. /Now if you'd like, you may, as you and Megabyte put it, 'brain dive' and see me as I truly am./

The offer was on the table, and for one moment Ami rebelled against the idea, but then her curiosity got the best of her: this was the father of the man she loved, and she *wanted* to know who and what Paul really was.

Her sense of Paul was at once immediately calming and soothing; cool like water and sky and wind all mixed together carrying her along. There was that sense of comforting blue white light surrounding her, full of knowledge and awareness but beneath it all a childlike curiosity and innocence that managed to somehow remain untainted or changed by the flow time. Interspersed in all of it were feelings – love, hope, warmth, caring, happiness, and those two had that innocent simplicity that children had and adults lost with time. A sense of wonder that adults in their jaded perceptions of the world and their place in it could no longer fathom.

There was more, so much more, a vastness, a wealth of knowledge and experience, things Paul had learned and was still learning, but she couldn’t process it all. But it didn’t matter, what she took away from that brief contact was more than enough.

/Thank you,/ Ami smiled at him.

/You’re welcome,/ Paul replied.

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/Thank you,/ Ami thought to his father. Scott was about to ask what was going on, but was distracted by the rapidly destabilizing energy dome. Its shimmering surface shook like a rung bell and contracted six inches. Despite her growing nervousness Ami smiled wonderingly at Paul as she backed out of the hemisphere, tightly gripping Scott's hand. Once she was outside he told her, /Be right back./ Scott released her hand and ducked back inside.

Paul stood in the center of the hemisphere, the top of which almost grazed the top of his head, curiously examining it. Scott pulled him into a hug. "Thanks, Dad," he said, stepping back. "I'm witholding as much information about you and Mom as I can, but at this rate..." He gulped. "The Army or Air Force may come calling soon."

His father gave him a bemused smile. "Don't worry about yus. We'll get by. We always do. Take care of Ami and let her take care of you." He grinned a mischevious smile that would have done the original Paul Forrester proud. "And enjoy exploring each other. Your mother and I have."

Scott felt his face grow red-hot. "Too. Much . Infor--"

The energy dome shuddered and unceremoniously collapsed into the co-locator. Scott stood there for a moment blinking from the abrupt transition. Ami's quiet giggle prompted him to face her.

Although she was blushing as well, Ami was clearly amused. /Didn't know your parents are randy devils as well, eh?/

Scott forcibly pushed his embarrassment aside, focusing instead on the absurdity of it. He chuckled as he strode over to her, wrapping her in his arms. /You realize, of course, that it's not you. I'm just genetically predisposed./ Scott cheerfully braced himself for retaliation.

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/It's not just me?!/ Ami echoed in feigned indignation. One arm wrapped around him and she playfully grabbed his ass, and her other hand trailed down his chest to lock around the waist of his shorts, pulling him flush up against her. She grinned up at him wickedly and then, leaning up, flicked her tongue teasingly against his upper lip. Her breath whispered against his lips, "You'd best reconsider those words. I'd hate to see you dealing with your 'genetic predisposition,' with nothing more than your hand to provide relief."

To emphasize the point, her hand slipped between them, diving down his shorts, earning her a gasp of surprise followed by a moan of pleasure. She felt a surge of lust from him, even as he caught and stilled her hand.

/As much as I want to, we can't do this here,/ Scott reminded her.

"Just proving a point, love," Ami whispered against his lips before pressing her lips against his. She didn't move her hand.

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Not kissing Ami at this point was not an option. Not tearing her clothes off wouldn't remain optional for long. Before their arousal jumped to the next level Scott tore himself away from Ami. "It's you," he panted, picking up the co-locator and moving to his backpack. "Definitely you. Ohmigod."

Ami's desire and smug amusement surged across their link. Scott had to remind himself of how pissed he'd be if one of his friends dragged him into the jungle for guard duty, then dismissed him so she could get it on with her lover. That helped Scott close his link with Ami completely. (This really, really sucks,) he thought. His sudden isolation had one positive consequence: it was the equivalent of a cold shower.

Scott swung the backpack on his shoulders and looked at the top of the root cave. "Thanks, Ripley. We're all set." As he turned to face Ami he opened their link a fraction, (sort of) hoping that she wasn't still in seductress mode.

From:

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Ami knew that she hadn't been playing fair, but really, what had he expected after a comment like that. She hadn't even been all that surprised when he closed their link off; decidedly uncomfortable and resisting the urge to batter the link back open, but not surprised. It didn't stop her from breathing a sigh of relief when he opened it again, and looked at her, half-wary, half-hopeful.

With a great deal of self-control, and only because it wouldn't be fair to Ripley, Ami squashed her hormones back and held out a hand to him, "Let's go."

Another idea occurred to her, and she looked away from him, in an effort to hide the mischief she knew had to show on her face and in her eyes. She pretended to look up for Ripley. "Thank you very much, Ripley."

She was far too eager to get back to within the safe boundaries of camp.